Tank refill and air gap



March 3, 1942. w. c. GROENIGER 2,274,852

, TANK REFILL AND'AIR GAP 7 Filed 001'. 27, 1939 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR William C. (iroenlger HIS KYTZlQNEY Patented Mar. 3, 1942 i TANK REFILL AND AIR GAP William C. Groeniger, Columbus, Ohio, assignor to John B. Pierce Foundation, New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application October 27, 1939, Serial No. 301,573

2 Claims.

My present invention relates to flush tanks, and more particularly to improved flush tank filling apparatus.

In carrying out my invention I provide a tank supply valve having its discharge outlet fordelivering water to the flush tank located at such a level above the spill water level of the tank as to preclude the possibility of the formation of back siphonage. Further, this construction, in connection with a centrally located hush post attached to the delivery outlet of the supply valve, provides means for silencing the noise heretofore made by this type of apparatus while efiiciently delivering water to the tank during the filling operation.

The hush post extends into the tank to a point adjacent the bottom thereof and is preferably fluted to provide a multiplicity of channels for the downwardly flowing water during the filling operation. Preferably. the post is tapered and has the major diameter thereof adjacent the bottom so that water flowing down the post is directed outwardly as it reaches the bottom of the post to thereby direct the water laterally of the tank and thus stir up the water therein, with the effect that any sediment which may have collected in the bottom of the tank is stirred up and remains in suspension until the next flushing operation.

The use of a post in connection with the tank supply valve produces a perfect air gap, or air break, between the water supply and the supply of water in the tank. As the water flowing down the outside of the post is unconfined, it is physically impossible to establish any syphon action on the water flowing down the post, regardless of the conditions that may be set up within the water supply system.

A feature of my invention is an improved flush tank filling means.

Another feature of my invention is means for eliminating the heretofore used hush pipe in a flush tank.

A further feature of my invention is an improved hush post for guiding water delivered to a flush tank from a source of supply.

A still further feature of my invention is an improved tapered fluted hush pipe adapted for connection to a water supply valve, and which acts as means for guiding the water from the supply valve to a point adjacent to the bottom of the flush tank,

Other features of the invention will appear as the description thereof progresses.

In the accompanying drawings Fig. 1 is a sectional front elevation through a flush'tank, the section being taken on a number of vertical planes to more clearly show the internal arrangement of the discharge pipe, the Water supply valve, and the hush post associated with the latter;

Fig. 2 is a sectional side elevation on a plurality of vertical planes and is designed to show the relative arrangement in end elevation of the tank supply valve and associated hush post, and the relation between the discharge pipes and the operating mechanism therefor;

Fig. 3 is a sectional plan view taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1;

Fig.4 is a sectional plan view taken on the line 44 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the delivery nozzle and hush post support illustrated in sectional side elevation in Fig. 1 and in plan View in Fig. 3; I

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the fluted hush post; and

Fig. 7 is a sectional plan view on the line 1-1 supply valve I6 has associated therewith a nut l l and-by means of which the supply valve'body I6 is securely held in water-tight position with relation to the rib I2. The flush tank I0 is provided with the usual removable cover it.

The bottom of the tank is provided With a discharge outlet l9 through which extends the threaded end 20 of a discharge valve 2|. A nut 22 threaded On the member 20 secures the dischargevalve 2l on the interior of the tank l0 and in operative relation'to the discharge outlet l9. Extending upwardly from the top of the .valve 21 is an overflow, pipe 23, the top end of which determines the tank overflow level of the .Water within the flush tank I0. Slidably mounted in the pipe 23 and valve body 2| is a member 24 which engages with a valve operating lever 25 that is pivotally mounted in the valve body 2|. The free end of the lever 25 engages with a buoyant spherical valve 26 which is associated with the valve seat 21 formed in the valve body 2|. Secured to the pipe 23 is a cage 28 adapted to enclose the buoyant spherical valve 26 and limit the upward movement thereof, and, as the.

level of the water recedes in the tank [0, guides the said valve into position to be returned to its seating position with respect to the valve seat 21.

The front wall of the tank 10 is perforated to receive a bearing member 29, through which extends a non-cylindrical shaft 30 having secured at its outer end an operating lever 3|, and on its inner end a member 32. Pivotally mounted on the member 29 is a lever 33 which extends along the length of the tank In and is connected by a loose linkage member 34 to the top of the valve lever operating rod 24.

The body of the supply valve It has formed therein a valve seat with which is associated a valve 35, such valve having secured thereto va downwardly depending slotted member 36. The upper open end of the valve body I6 is closed by a screw threaded cap 31. The valve body I6 is provided with a lateral passage 38, having on either side thereof lugs or ears 39 in which is mounted a shaft 40, and on which shaft is rotatably mounted a lever 40a, one end 41 of which extends into the slotted member 36, and the other end 42 of which is internally threaded to receive the threaded end of a rod 43. Secured to the free end of the rod 43 is a buoyant light gage metal float 44. The float 44 rises and falls with the rise and fall of thewater within the tank I0, and thus rotates the lever 491:. above referred to on the shaft 40 so as to have the end 4! thereof engage with the top or bottom of the slot in the member 36 to lift the valve 35 off its seat or to replace such valve on its seat. Extending into the valve body I6 is one end of an afterflll pipe 55, the other end being spaced above, and delivering water to, the upper open end of the pipe 23.

The lower end of the valve body I6 is threaded to receive a coupling member 45, which is adapted to securely mount, at the exit end of the valve body 16, a discharge nozzle 46. The discharge nozzle 46 is centrally drilled and tapped, as indicated by the reference numeral 41, (see Fig. to receive the upper threaded end of a tapered hush post 48. The hush post 48 is provided with a plurality of flutes 49, and it will be apparent that as water flows through the nozzle 46 such water will engage with the tapered fluted hush post 48, and the water will be guided down the plurality of flutes 49 to a point adjacent the lower end of the tank In.

Referring again to Figure 1, the reference numeral 5i! designates the normal Water level in the tank If! and above which the water ordinarily will not rise if the valve 35 and the float 44 are properly set. However, upon an improper setting of such members, the water within the tank may rise to the tank overflow level indicated by the reference numeral 5|, and under exceptional circumstances may rise to the overflow spill level designated by the reference numeral 52.

The overflow spill level is the ultimate level which may be reached by the water, regardless of what may happen to the Valve 35, or to the float 44. The valve discharge level is indicated by the reference numeral 53, and it will be noted that the air gap between the valve discharge level 53 and the overflow spill level 52 is so great that it would be impossible under any circumstances to establish a syphon action which would result in Withdrawing water from the tank It] and into the source of water supply. Where a relatively small delivery nozzle such as the delivery nozzle 46 is installed and located approximately threefourths of an inch or more above the overflow spill level 52 of a plumbing fixture, such relatively small pipe can not draw, suck, or siphon water from the tank and return it to the water supply distributing system. Thus where the water which has flowed through the discharge nozzle 46 runs down the hush post 48, and as such water is then unconfined, it would be impossible to utilize the same in building up a syphon action in the apparatus.

Whereas I have described my invention by reference to specific forms thereof, it will be understood that many changes and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention.

I claim:

1. An improved tank supply valve adapted for the control of water to a flush tank and adapted to be located above the spill water level of the tank and comprising a body, a chamber formed therein, a laterally arranged inlet formed integral with the body and communicating with the chamber and connected to a source of water supply, an outlet passage through the body communicating with the chamber, a valve seat formed within the chamber at the connection of the outlet passage with the chamber, a valve operatively associated with the valve seat, a pivoted lever for moving the valve off and on to the valve seat and controlled by the height of water within the tank, a nozzle secured to the body at the end of the outlet passage, said nozzle being disposed above the spill water level of the tank, and a fluted hush post secured to the nozzle and extending from the nozzle downwardly below the spill water level of the tank and engaged by the water passing through the nozzle.

2. An improved tank supply valve adapted for the control of water to a flush tank and adapted to be located above the spill water level of the tank and comprising a body, a chamber formed therein, a laterally arranged inlet formed integral with the body and communicating with the chamber and connected to a source of water supply, an outlet passage through the body communicating with the chamber, a valve seat formed within'the chamber at the connection of the outlet passage with the chamber, a valve operatively associated with the valve seat, a pivoted lever for moving the valve off and on to the valve seat and controlled by the height of Water within the tank, a nozzle secured to the body at the end of the outlet passage, said nozzle being disposed above the spill water level of the tank, a tapered fluted hush post secured to the nozzle and extending from the nozzle downwardly below the spill water level of the tank.

WILLIAM C. GROENIGER. 

